Sprinkler



J. H. KEYS SFRINKLER April 1o, 192s.

Filed Aug; v.' 1922 f 2 sheets-snee: 2

el l Patented Apr. lG, 1928.

UNETED restan 1 l JOHN H. KEYS, or DAYTON, OHIO, Assrenonvro THE DAYTONIRRIGATION COMPANY, i 1 or DAYTON, Omo, a conPOnATIONzOr OHIO.

srnrnxnna.

Applieauon mea August 7, 1922. swarm. 580,257..

y invention relates to Water distribution and more particularly to anautomatic sprinkler of the rotary type. The invention pertains,to arotary sprinkler having pivoted or folding jet arms carried byasprinkler head provided-with a discharge nozzle rotating in unison withsaid arms the structure being of operative position by variations of thewater supply pressure, the sprinkler head being retractible into asunken receiver or container within which the sprinkler is con-l cealedwhen not in use. The construction is such that upon the admission ofwater under pressure to the sprinkler the latter is bodily elevated outof its sunken receptacle or container the jet larms being simultaneouslyac tuated to the extended positions, whereafter the influence of .thedischarging jets of water may serve to rotate the sprinkler head-pressure is reduced the. sprinkler settles by gravity into itsreceptaclethe jet-armsfbeing projected to an upright or substantiallyvertical position by their engagement upon the rim of the'receiver orreceptacle and the latter .is closed by a lid supported upon the Isprinkler head.

CIG

'The Object of the invention is'to simplify the structure as well as themeans and mode of operation of such automatic sprinklers, whereby theywill not only be 'cheapened in construction, but will be more efficientin use,

positive in operation, uniform in action, easily controlledandunlikelyto get out of re- P311' A further object of the invention istoprovide improved means for mounting the adjustable propeller arms orjet arms for such sprinkler head.

A further object of the i invention is to provide an improved. mountingv`for the sprinkler head, whereby it maybe easilyY ac.- tuated to andfrom operative position under the influence of fluid pressure control.lI A further object of the invention'is to provide improved rotarybearings for the -revolving sprinkler, and to provide an 1mproved methodof mounting the rotary sprinkler head-within its bearing whereby thewear will be minimized andthe durability ofthe sprinklerfhead and itsbearing ver'ticallymovable into and out peller arms.

VIEWS.

dental objects in View as appear in the'speoification, .the inventionconsists of the features of construction, the parts and combinationsthereof, and the mode of operation or their equivalents as hereinafterdescribed and set-forth in the claims, In the accompanying drawings,wherein is shown the preferred, but not necessarily the only embodimentof the invention, Fig. 1 is a perspectiveview of the automaticsprinkler'forming the subject matter hereof,illustrating'the'installation in a lawn with the sprinkler shown in its'elevated the sprinkler with its jet arms or sectional view of thesprinkler in its retracted posi` tion.- Flg. 4 is a vertical sectional,view of 1g. 5' isa detail sectional View at right angles to that of Fig.4, mode of connecting the pivoted jet or pro- Fig. 6 is a verticalsectional view of a modification4 of the sprinkler head and bearing.Fig. 7 is a sectional view at right angles to Fig. of interconnectingpropeller arms.

parts are indicated by similar charofreference throughout the several'Like acters The automaticsprinkler forming the subject matter hereof isintended toA be permanently installed in gardens, lawns, parks Vupongolfcourses and analogous locations and is supplied with .water underressure through underground pipes or conduits leadtainer or receivermaybe'adapted to carry a sectionofsod or turf, which will a ee with thesurrounding surface and so e ce; .tually mask or conceal the sprinklerreceiver.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 is the sunken receiver or enclosure forthe sprinkler head, which is embedded in the earth.

For convenience and economy of section oftwo `inch pipeinterconnectedatv the sprinkler head and its rotary bearing;l and withit the auxlllary nozzle. When 'the F er is automaticallyy manufature,this receiver l may be merely a short lor Operat 1ve pos1t1on. Fig. 2 isatop plan view of 7 illustrating the 803 6 illustrating the mode I I theflexible or pivoted mg from a suitable source of supply. When duit. Thissection 3 f adjustment by which l relation with the surrounding lawnsurface.

- the pressure of t e water.

` other material sui ble for withlsuitable packing rings flange end l-hollow trunnion Y -it the reciproca anism are carried by 4. Securedtothen perend of the reciprocatory stem 4 is a Eai'insleeve 9. Thisbearing-'sleeve 9 .threaded extremity rtrunnion12is a Telescopicallymounted within the upright supply section ,3 is a reciprocatory tiibu arstem '4, havingat its lower 'end an enlarged head.5, which of -the upriht portion of the forming therein a piston head subjected for thistelescopic stein 3, the

-able bearing is preferably partially reducing coupling 2 filled with abody such a-bearing, being bored out to such babbitted bearing toryextending through this body of beari ng material 6, and communicatingwith a collecting channel in the upper face of the bearing 6. i

The peripheral flange or piston head 5 of stem may be provided thereciprocatory collar of pac material intermediate the periphery ofthehemd and the interior ofthe pipe section-3. However,

this construction d neces- Yunder ordinary of use.

The distributor head and actuating mechthe reeiprocatory stein v iscounter red to form-an interior shoulder or bearing 10 with whicVio-operates 11 or e --head of a-rotry hollow trunnion 12. vAntifrictioncollars or German silver or are inter' between the other'snitable mahead or shoulder 10. nembling the 9 a bushing 13 is-in ofthe sleeve 9ond the head bey ofthe-trannie!! andtheup en of the reciprocatoi'y screwreaded within such bushing 13.

Carried `upon the upper head or cap 15, haviiig'anY inclined Plivotallyso to pdlerumslnghidimm is engaged an I '12 but will also propel-theapproximately fits the interior- To aiiord a suit- 6 of Babbitt metalorstem 4. In the presentv instance, a drain hole 7 has been provided inpracticey 'other form of stops may stance, merely lugs or projectingfrom a peripheralV` n the lower washers preferably of rial the bushingwith their peripheral flange -115and the thrust bear-12withinthelieai'ingsleeveA hodud into the screwd' the threaded i i athin atblade such 'as of the hollow dmeharge inonde 14V communicatingwith the interior of the head.

noemen position are inclined outwardly. in opposite directions and when.in inoperative position are retracted to a substantially verticalposiv. 5

enter wholly within tion whereby they may arms 16 have disthe receiver1.; 'lhese j et charge orifices at The orifices 17 are located atapproximately an angle of forty-five degrees in relation d with theplane of rotation whereby the reaction of the jet not only propels thesprinkler head revolubly upon the hollow tiunnion ly to their fextremeoperative position. That is to say, the discharge of the jet orifices 17-will initially propel the pivoted arms 16 jet arms outwardtheextremities thereof. v

from their upright or retracted position to. their extended position inthe event that the arms do notV all'by gravity and will thereafterpropel the entire distributor head revolubly upon the trunnion 12. Inaddition to the jet oriiices 17 the ropeller arms may be provided' withadditional orifices in the extreme endsthereof. To limit the movement ofthese propeller arms 16 to 'and fi'om operative engagement there are'provided sli'ort stop arms 18, projecting. into the plane ofoscillation of the arms'16 and limiting the arms in approximatelyupright position and other arms 19 downturned over the sides 13 withtheirextremities of the cap' or head to form rests forv the vprojectedoutwardly arms 16. Stop arms and outwardly projectingrest arms 19 arepreferably stamped from a single piece of sheet metal and secured to thetop`of vthe distributor -head or cap byother suitable means. However,any

ings21 are threaded in the opposite sides of the cap or head 15. Thesebushings are counter-bored on their inner 'sides to form seatsfor-hollow trunnion studs 22. These studs are introduced from tremitiesprojecting outwardl from Ythe 18 and downwardly 15 by screws -20 or beused as for in- ,l lll the inner side of screw threaded exb 'andintoveng ment with heads 23 upon t inner ends o the jet or propellerarms 16. In assemblin trunnion studs 22 may the 'bushing 21 and theseparts the introduced into head 15 from the exterior. .By

the end blade of a screwdriver orv pece'ofat Yor sheet metal suitablyproportioned into' engagement with the slot 24, of the head of suchhollow trunnion, whichslot will in such event be turned the l'atterscrewed into; openings in the side of the'- introducing palrlallel withthe axis 'of the head 15. these i ow trunnions may beheld. stationary,

while the head 23 `of thepropellerarns is other and with 'bearing bodytightly screwed upon the projecting end of the trunnion stud'. It vwillbe understood that these connections are effected before the head 15 isattached to the upper end of the hollow trunnion stud 12. This permitsthe screw driver blade or other implement to be lintroduced through the'open end of the head or cap 15 into engagement with the slotted head otlthe hollow trunnion stud, previously turned into alinement with eachconstruction the trunnion studs 22 oscillate in -their bearing in thebushing 2l. In Fig. 7 there is shown a modification ofthis con-4struction'wherein the trunnion stud is stationary and the head of thepropeller arm oscillates thereabout. In this construction the heads 25of the propeller arms 16 are counterbored to form a seat or shoulder 26at their inner `ends with which engages the head of the hollow trunnionstud l27. This trunnion stud 27 is screw threaded into openings in theside of the upper fend of the revoluble hollow trunnion 12. In this casethe trunnion 12 is closed at its upper end and the propeller arms areconnected directly to the trunnion in lieu of the head or cap 15. Theouter ends of the propeller arms 25 are .closed by removablel -closureplugs or caps 28,'the removal of which af-- fords access to the trunnionstud 27. Fixed- 1y attached to the the `closed end of the trunnion 12 asshown in Fig. 7 `is a strut or standard 29 which carriesfat its u'pperAend a closure disc 30.

formingalid or closure for the receiver .1. he open end of this receiver1 is preferably beveled or inclined as at" 31 to receive the lid 30. v f

In order that the reciprocatory stem 4.

rotation whilethe bearmg sleeve 9 and bushing 14 aretightened affordmeans for the 'recovery for the reciprocatory stem in the event. thatthe sprinkler is removedthere` from and the s'tem allowedvto drop withinthe receiver there is provided a transverse pin 32 extending through lthe stem 4 which by its engagement with the at the lower end of thereceiver the stem. This may be held against will limit the descent oftransverse pin 32 also affords means whichl may be engaged 'by a hook orwire loop -to lift the stem 4 in the event that it has been droppedwhile the sprinkler isvremoved for repairs or examination. durability ofthe structure, Sleeve 9 is preferably though not necessarily providedwith a lining or core of Babbitt metal or othersuch material as shown bythe condensed shading at. 33. In practice vthe sleeve 9 is either sandcast ordie cast and a body of Babbitt metal is poured therein to ali'ordthe requisite bearing for, the hol.- low trunnion stud'12.4 en in`operation the axis of the cap. In this `claim cally movable the upperend of To lncrease the.

t-he bearing tending the arms in the sprinkler rotates at a very rapidrate under the influence of the jets ldischarged from the propeller armjets of Water over a lwide range. This discharge ot' the propeller'orjetarm is supplemented by the auxiliary dischargenozzle 14 carriedcentrally upon the sprinkler1 and rotating in unison with the jet arms.Cross reference is made to co-pending application, Serial No. 580,256filed of even date herewith which has sincev matured into Patent No.1,605,242 issued Nov. 2, 1926. l

From the above description it` will be apparent that there is thusprovided a device ol the character Idescribed possessing the particularfeatures of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but whichobviously is susceptibleof modication'in its form, proportions, ldetailconstruction and arrangement of parts without departing from theprinciple involved or sacrificingany of its-advantages. i j

- While in order'to comply with the statute the invention has beendescribed in language more or less specific as to structural features,it is to be understood that the invention is not limited tothe specificdetails shown, but that the means and construction hereindisclosed-comprises the preferred form offseveral modes of putting theinvendistributing such f tore claimed in any ot'fits 'forms or modi'-h'cations within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I 1. In' a disappearing sprinkler, avertinozzle, fluid pressure means or raising and lowering the nozzle,yielding jet propulsion arms for the nozzle, an enclosure for saidnozzle when lowered into which the arms are yieldingly retracted, andaclosure lid fixedly attached to the nozzle for up anddown movementtherewith.

2. n a sprinkler'. a rotary head having yially radially disposed,Idistributor arms, said arms being foldable to andfrom a positionsubstantially parallel with the axis of the rotaryhead, means forraising and lowering the sprinklerand means for automatically adjustingthe arms in unison with the vertical movement'of the sprinkler.

In a sprinkler, a rotary head, a plurality of subst-antially radiallydisposed distributor arms carried by said head, means for raising andlowering .the sprinkler, and i means for automatically retracting andexunison with vertical ad`- justment of thesprinklcr. f In a sprinkler',a. rotary head, a'- rality lof relatively nozzles,l retractible andextensible in relation adjustable distributing with the axis of rotationof the head, and a A Sunken receptacle into which the rotary head isretractible when the adjustable arms iso are contracted, and beyondwhich the nozzles project when in extended position.

5. In a sprinkler, avrtically movabledlstributor head, a plurality ofnozzles yieldf inglyl connected 'with said head, and means engaged bythe nozzles upon vertical adjustment of the head-for adjusting Ytaclejnto which the head and'- arms are comprising a head and a' 4armscarried thereby,

the nozzles.

6. In a sprinkler', a rotary head, a pluralit ofautomatically adjustablejet arms tlexi lyconnected. with the head'for adjustment -to positionsrangular rotation, n vertically for the sprinkler device, anda sunkenreccpepressible by the vertical retraction of the mounting, said armswhen in operation extending beyond the limits of the receptacle.

7. In a s rinkler, a rotary head,1a lurality of su stantially radiallydispose jet arms, a receiver into which the sprinkler is retractible,said receiver being of less radius than the spread of. said arms wherebythe arms engage the edgeof the receiver upon retraction of thesprinkler, said arms being yieldably connected whereby they -will.accommodate themselves to the receiver,L and fluid pressure controlmeans governing the movement of the sprinkler-into and out ofthereceptacle.

8. In a sprinkler, a collapsible distributor plurality of jet a recelverfor the vdistributor, said arms being foldablefor entrance into thereceiver in compact form, land means for raising and lowering the dis'-tributor out of and into the receiver, A

' 9. In a sprinkler, afluid pressure operated rotor,'a discharge nozzlelixedly carried by the rotor and rotat1ng 1n'unison therewith.,

and a plurality of extenslble and retr'actible .jet arms connectedwiththerotor and rodurin the period of discharge'. and

tating in unison with the' nozzle, said arms being'maintained in theirextended sitions ing re-l tracti le toapproximately parallelism 'to re.-duce the sprinkler to compact age, and means for automaticallycontrolling the adjustment of the flexible arms.

10. A sprinkler including in combination'. a central tubular stemrotatably mounted to turn upon a 'verticali axis, jet arms adjustablyconnected tothe tubular stem and recewing their water supply 1therafrom,and means for automatica ly retracting and extending the jet armstowardA and from the stem by variation ofthe water pressure.

`11. A sprinkler includingv in combination,

I a" central tubular stem mounted for verti cally reciprocatorymovement, a plurality of jet arms adjustably connected to the tubularstem for rotary movement about the axis of f Vsaid stem, and receivingtheir water'supply A therefrom, .and means r effecting relativeadjustment of tbe arms toward end rom .of the latter.

connected with the tubular stem,

to the plane of adjustable mountlng with the vertical water isdelivered` ing for said under influence of the' water being charged andadjustable jet arms carriedby said head and extending radially beyondthe i land fout of which a plurality of tractable toward the axis ofnozzle into the casing,

the stem in unisonwith vertical adjustment 12; A sprinkler including acentral tub -r lar stem, a plurality of jet arms and a housing intowhich the stem and jjet varms are retractible, said arms being capableof extension beyond the lateral walls of the housino for operation, andmeans for automatica ly adjusting' saidsprinkler into and out o f thehousing.

13. A sprayer including in combination a adj ustably y vertical tubularsupport-having means for connection with a water supply, repulsion jetarms pivotally mounted' thereon and rece1ving their water 'supplytherefrom, said tubular support being vertically adjustable unslr der'influence of water pressure and means whereby the arms areautomatlcally adjusted about their pivotal connections 'in unisonadjustment of the tubular support and' an additional discharge nozzlelocated above the level of operation-ofthe jet arms and arranged in' anupwardly and outwardly inclined radial position and rof tatng 1n unisonwith the-jet arms.

14. A' sprinkler including in combination j a hollow revolubly mountedhead, to which under pressure, a discharge nozzle carried by the headland projecting angular-ly in relation with the axis of rotation, avertically reciprocatory mounthead, a casing into which the head'sretractable by the reciprocation of the mount1ng, said head beingrevoluble disv lill) cally adjustabletubular stem to which water i issupplied under pressure, a revolnble dischargeV nozzle mounted at thetop of said stem' and discharging in a substantially-ra-.dialdirectionupwardly 'and outwardlyina casing into the dlschargenozzle is,

clined to the axis of rotation,

movable by the vertical adjustment of said stem-'and adjustable reactionjet arms also mountedupon said stem andderiving their water supplytherefrom, said arms extendlng in approximate radial directions beyondthe the casing when. such-stem ande are elevated, said arms. being "re-`rotation ofsaidnozzle to permitthe descent of the stem and periphery ofnozz located below the level of the discharge nozzle and operativelyconnected therewith for positively rota-tin the discharge nozzle."

16. In a sprin ler Econstruction, a receptacle, a sprinkler head to bestored in said receptacle, a series ofA revoluble jet arms carried 'bythe head Vand mounted for a' said jet arms being -yond the dimenslonsofthe receptacle and within the dimensions of the being retractedreceptacle preparatory to storage of the head and arms therein inaccordance With the admission and arrest of water-under pressure to saidsprinkler. x A t 17. A sprinkler including a central tubular watersupply stem, a plurality of jet arms carried thereby and rotating aboutthe axis Iof said stem, said arms being capable of spreading andcontracting movement rela.- tiveto the stem movement effecting thespreading of the arms upon the admission4 of water under pressure to thespr1nk1er,'and the retraction A and means controlling such l 'of thearms when-the pressure of water is relieved. V.

-18. A sprinkler including a seriesof ra.-

dially disposed jet arms revolving about a common axls, means forsupplying water thereto under pressure, said arms being iiexiblynmountedfor spreading and contract` ing movements, the spreading of the seriesof arms being effected upon admission of the Water pressure t'o'thesprinkler and the contraction ofthe when the reduced.

' In .testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 1st d ay'ofAugust, A; D.'1922.

' JOHN H.' KEYS.

Water pressure to the sprinkleris series of arms being effected v

